Hemerocallis plant named ‘VER00198’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Hemerocallis  named ‘VER00198’ that is characterized by its flowers that are pink in color with a light red eyezone, yellow midribs and yellow throats, its everblooming habit; blooming from June to October in The Netherlands, its compact and dormant plant habit, and its vigorous growth habit.

Botanical classification: Hemerocallis hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘VER00198’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant of hybrid origin, botanically known as Hemerocallis ‘VER00198’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘VER00198’.

The new cultivar was developed through on on-going breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop new cultivars of Hemerocallis that are everblooming with compact plant habits in a range of flower colors.

The new cultivar arose from crosses made in summer of 2006. Proprietary seed parent lines were pollinated with a mixture of pollen collected from proprietary pollen parents and the collected seeds were pooled and sown for evaluation. ‘VER00198’ was selected as a single unique plant from the resulting seedlings in summer of 2009. The specific parents are unknown and none of the possible parent plants are named or patented.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by division in Noordwijk, The Netherlands in 2009 by the Inventor. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of ‘VER00198’. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘VER00198’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis.

-   -   1. ‘VER00198’ exhibits flowers that are pink in color with a         light red eyezone, yellow midribs and yellow throats.     -   2. ‘VER00198’ exhibits an everblooming habit; blooming from June         to October in The Netherlands.     -   3. ‘VER00198’ exhibits a compact and dormant plant habit.     -   4. ‘VER00198’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit.

The new cultivar can be most closely compared to the cultivars ‘Strawberry Candy’ (not patented) and ‘Wild Mustang’ (not patented). Both cultivars are similar to ‘VER00198’ in flower coloration. ‘Strawberry Candy’ differs from ‘VER00198’ in having larger flowers, flowers and leaves that have a thicker substance, a semi-evergreen plant habit, and in being taller in height. ‘Wild Mustang’ differs from ‘VER00198’ in having larger flowers, flowers and leaves that have a thicker substance, in flowering later in the season, and in being taller in height.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hemerocallis. The photographs were taken of a 6 month-old plant of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in an 18-cm container in Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘VER00198’ in bloom and depicts its compact plant habit.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of a flower of ‘VER00198’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a leaf of ‘VER00198’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digital photography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the new Hemerocallis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 6 month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 18-cm containers in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General characteristics:     -   -   Blooming period.—Everblooming from June to October in The             Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial, dormant type.         -   Plant habit.—Compact, grass-like foliage.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 35 cm in height to top of             foliage and 40 cm in height to top of inflorescence and 40             cm in spread (after two years in the garden).         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 5.         -   Diseases.—No disease resistance or susceptibility has been             observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous roots.         -   Propagation.—Division and tissue culture.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous, 4 months to fully root a single fan             division in a 18-cm container and 8 months to produce a No.             1 division in the field from a single fan. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear, strongly carinate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Decurrent.         -   Leaf apex.—Long acute with a short apiculate tip.         -   Leaf venation.—Parrallel, color upper surface; color between             143A and 146A, color lower surface; 143B.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf attachment.—Decurrent, no petioles.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Equitant, fan-shaped.         -   Leaf orientation.—Held upright to slightly pendulant.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces glabrous, upper surface             moderately glossy, lower surface matte.         -   Leaf color.—Young leaves upper surface; color between 143B             and 144A, young leaves lower surface; 143B, mature leaves             upper surface; color between 143A and 146A, mature leaves             lower surface; 143B.         -   Leaf size.—Up to 47.4 cm in length, an average of 1 cm in             width.         -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 8 per rosette. -   Flower scape description (peduncle):     -   -   Scape shape.—Oval to flattened oval, pithy.         -   Scape number.—1 per fan at one time, continuously produced             during bloom season.         -   Scape aspect.—Straight, held at an average angle of 85° to             soil level.         -   Scape size.—Average of 32.6 cm in length and 3 to 4 mm in             width.         -   Scape color.—Color between 143A and 144A.         -   Scape surface.—Glabrous, slight sheen.         -   Scape branching.—None. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Scape bearing a panicle of single             flowers.         -   Inflorescence size.—Varies with opening of flowers, an             average of 8.3 cm in width and 9.5 cm in depth.         -   Lastingness of flowers.—About 24 hours, self cleaning.         -   Flower size.—An average of 7.9 cm in length and 7.4 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower fragrance.—Faint, slightly acidic and pleasant.         -   Flower number.—Average of 8 flowers and buds per scape,             average of 48 per plant.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright to outward.         -   Flower bud.—Narrow obovate to oblong in shape, average of             2.9 cm in length and 0.9 cm in width, color 151C tinged with             153D with base and apex 144B.         -   Rate of flower opening.—About 20% of flowers open at a time,             about 4 weeks for all flowers to open per scape.         -   Flower attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Petals.—3, obovate in shape, average of 7.3 cm in length and             4 cm in width, margins slightly revolute and undulate to             crinkled, apex retuse, base fused (lower 24%), color upper             surface opening and fully open; 179D with center eye zone             180D, 173D near margins, very tip 181C, center stripe (main             vein) 159B, throat 7A to 7B, inner tube 1B, color lower             surface opening and mature; N170D, central portion tinged             164D, base 13B and tube 151B to 151C, both surfaces glabrous             with upper surface moderately rugose and slightly velvety.         -   Sepals.—3, rotate in arrangement, average of 7.1 cm in             length, 2.5 cm in width, narrowly obovate in shape, entire             margins, base cuneate with lower portion fused (24%), acute             apex, color upper surface opening and mature; 180D, central             portion and main vein flushed with 11A to 11B, base 13C and             151A, tube 1B, color lower surface opening and mature; color             between 20A and 20B, margins N170D, base and tube 151B, both             surfaces glabrous and matte with upper surface slightly             velvety.         -   Pedicels.—Average of 2 cm in length and 3 mm in width, oval             in shape, strong, color 144B, glabrous surface, held at an             angle of 30° to peduncle.         -   Pedicel leaf.—Average of 1 per pedicel, broadly lanceolate             in shape, 144A in color on both surfaces, average of 1.5 cm             in length and 1.3 cm in width, sheathed base, narrowly             acuminate apex, glabrous on both surfaces. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, about 7.5 cm in length, style; 7.4 cm             in length, 24D in color, stigmas; crested, 11D in color,             ovary; oblong in shape, 144C in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 6, anthers; narrowly oblong in shape, 4             mm in length and 200A in color; filament; 3.3 cm in length,             18A to 18B in color, pollen; moderate to high in quantity             and 21A in color.         -   Fruit/seeds.—None observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hemerocallis plant named ‘VER00198’ as herein illustrated and described. 